Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-29

THE NEW COERCION BILL.
The Parnellites Dcnouncc Its Provis.
ions as Atr0ciosls, and John Dillon
Filings q Fierce Dcfiancc % the Gov.
eminent.
Mr.. W. II. smith, the government lender, init
mated IN the house OF commons last night that
the government would ask the house to pass the
second reading OF the new coercion bill before the
Easter holidays. The measure, he said. was vital
to order in Ireland and on it the government
staked their existence.
Chief Secretary Baffour in moving the first
reading OF the coercion bill referred to Mr.. Par
nells proposed amendment asking more inf0rma-
tton on the condition OF Ireland, and said he
thought the Parneilites were sufficiently informed
OF the state OF their country, and should recognize
Irish anarchy as an artiflcer recognizes his own
work. The government did not rest the case on
statistics OF agraTian crime. They took the view
conjunction with It's causes and character. The
amount was shown in the fact that at the present
Connaught and PSI In Ieinsier under police pro-
lection The law had been set aside and the
vacuum had not been filled by the ordinary law.
pant in that part Of the country most
disturbed. The paralysis OF the courts. OF
il arose from the difficulty of inducing inundated
witnesses to speak out. In 755 cases Az injured
parties were SO terrified that they refused to APP
pear When evidence was obtained jur1eS de-
cned, even in the clearest cases. TO convict. Here
he adduced long list OF cases In which the jurfes
II it was TO be wondered at, when the national
press pointed out the Jurymen giving verdict
and hello them up to public reprobation and secret
vengeance. Those persons desiring the separation
of Ireland were ready to attain their OBJECT by
avowed terrorism. The jury system thus became
MI was occupied by the National League. The
speaker then proceeded to give instances Of boy
cotting, but was repeatedly interrupted by de-
mands from the ParneIliteS for the names OF the
persons boycotted He declined, however, to give
| names, unless the persons were beyond the reach
OF members OF the League.
EXTRAORDINARY PROVISIONS OF THE BLK
Coming to the proposals or the bill, he stated
| that the government had borrowed provision
from the Scotch system, giving magistrates pow
| er TO examine witnesses on oath, even when no
persons were charged with crime. To meet the
d1ificulty or getting yerdctS they proposed to
abolish the jury system altogether for certain
classes OF crime, giving the magistrates jurisdic-
ton with power TO impose a maximum penalty OF
six months Imprisonment in case OF criminal con.
| spiracy. boycotting. roting, offences under the
Whiteboy acts, assault on officers OF the law, for
C1ble and unlawful possession. and in cases OF in
element oil the foregoing ofense. GCheerS.l The
government did not propose TO interfere with the
liberty or the press but they hoped that by giving
| magistrates the power OF summary conviction for
melting oenses they would be able to prevent the
press sharing In crimes. The bill also gave the
government power TO change the venue OF trial
for graver OfenSeS The government felt the diff
Guilty connected with the abolition OF trial by jury
in Ireland and therefore, proposed that the attor
neys general OF England and ireland in cases OF
grave crimes should certify when fairer trial
| could be had in England, when, under the
Ireland the trial should be held i'm England. Irish
counsel he added, were to be allowed 10 appear in
English courts ana the state would provide the
neSSeS and lawyers Purely political offenseS, such
| as treason, felony, and seditious libel, were
excluded from the provisions of the bill. The
| Crimes triable in England We're murder, attempt
| to murder, aggravated crimes OF violence and
arson: In all cases the bill applied only to pro-
claimed districts. The viceroy would have fur
ther powers to proclaim dangerous societies found
| to be disturbing peace and order. A proclamation
parliament within seven days alter issuance and,
II parliament condemned it, the proclamation
would d. be dropped The government u, proposed
| tied to fixed time. He concluded by declaring
that It was In the cause OF liberty that the govern
which Ireland was groaning.
JOHN DILLoEs DEFIANCE.
Mr.. Dillon followed Mr.. Balfour. He said that
this bill would never pass into law. If he believed
| that the people OF England were capable of sane
tiOning the measure, he would give up forever the
hands The irish people would be slaves indeed if
| they submitted TO it. Either he would leave a
country where no riShman could live, unless he
| lived like a slave, or, IL the people were willing,
he would be proud and happy to lead them in bat
tie. The measure could only result in causing III
creased INSTRUMENTATION, anu 0flf1HS the people
back TO the horrors OF former years. lCheerS.l
Earl Spencer, believing his lie to be in danger, had
the courage 10 face the people OF Ireland like a
man; but small credit was due to the present gov
ernment who did net know the danger they were
| facing. More miserable excuses on which to found
coercion had never been heard MI. Balfour had
| succeeded in proving nothing but his own ignor-
ance OF the country which he Sough5 to govern
The sooner he Quilted office the better for Ireland
and for himself. The government were practically
| treating Irishmen like slaves They sought TO
| root them out like vermin. The government Oh
fered them the prospect OF favorable land pur-
chase bill. II this coercion bill PASSED, neither a
| land-purchase bill nor any other Irish measure
would live to be accepted at the hands OF the Eng
| About ten unionists disapprove the coercion bill
| and will not support it. Lord Harrington and Mr..
Chamberlain Will give thorough support to the
| The Parneiltes held an informal meeting and
| united in denOuncfng what they termed the afro
ciOus character OF the coercion bill. The measure
they said, concealed under its provisions powers
for the extinction OF the liberties OF the press,
public meetings, free speech, and all individual
| rights. The Parneilites disregard the threats OF
Mr.. Smith to continue the debate until the second
reading OF the bill. They say that ii the prutrac-
tion OF the sitting results In test OF physical en-
durance they Will be ready for the struggle. 1t is
| the opinion OF many persons that Mr.. BalfOurs
speech, which was OF great length, was weak dif-
sders the bill one OF the strongest coercve meas
ureS ever proposed in parliament. The bill. he
| says even creates new OHenSes He thinks that
MIR. Balfours references to the press mean that
| the government will suppress prominent national
LIST newspapers soon as the bill has been passed
| Lord Harrington will issue manifesto, In which
he will say: "Not single unionist believes I'm CO.
ercion policy, but all believe in the necessity
OF every civilized country asserting the supremacy
! Of the law. The object Of the separatistS is TO
prove that the government of Ireland, as part OF
the United Kingdom, is an impoSsibiiity, with or
without reform. The object OF the uniOnists must
be to prove the union indissolubie, while doing
Justice to Ireland
The whole tone of the manifesto indicates that
| there will be no compromise.
l ->O~----------
The New Scotch Cutter.
| FACTS ABOUT THE YACHT THIST1E, NOW SUILDING TO
| RACE WITH OUR BOATS.
she scotch cutter Thistle. now building in Scot
| land from plans by Mr.. George L. Watson, will be
about 80 feet on the water line. She will be $40
feet longer than the Galatea and 3-10 feet wider
on the beam. The 0enesta il feet shorter and is
5 feet narrower. Longer than the Galatea, with
! more beam and considerable more sall area she
will no doubt, have great driving power, and this
| Co i,,Cf rrhat Mr. yKafsnn has AWAY advocaf es1-